Safety and efficacy analysis of chemoradiotherapy/radiotherapy combined with nimotuzumab for treating unresectable oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma in elderly patients: a retrospective analysis

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the safety and efficacy of chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy combined with nimotuzumab in the treatment of unresectable oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in elderly patients. METHODS: This study retrospectively analysed 54 cases of elderly patients (aged over 70 years) with unresectable ESCC in our centre between December 2016 and November 2019. The patients were treated with a radiation dose of 50–61.6 Gy (25–30 fractions) combined with nimotuzumab for targeted therapy with or without chemotherapy according to each patient’s condition. The patients were observed for quality of life, safety, side effects and survival before and after the treatment. RESULTS: Among the 54 patients, 26 were treated with nimotuzumab combined with chemoradiotherapy and 28 were treated with nimotuzumab combined with radiotherapy. Toxicities were mainly oesophagitis (≥ Grade 2, 38.9%), myelosuppression (≥ Grade 3, 24.1%) and hypoproteinaemia (any grade, 94.4%). The rates of complete response, partial response, disease stability and disease progression were 11.1% (6/54), 81.5% (44/54), 3.7% (2/54) and 3.7% (2/54), respectively, and the overall objective response rate was 92.6% (50/54). The median follow-up time was 35.1 months, and the 1- and 2-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 61.1% (1 year OS) and 35.2% (2 year OS), 42.6% (1 year PFS) and 16.7% (2 year PFS), respectively. The median OS and PFS rates were 16.0 and 10.0 months, respectively. CONCLUSION: Nimotuzumab combined with chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy was well tolerated in elderly patients with unresectable ESCC. This combination can achieve a good treatment response and enhance survival.